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Strike shuts most of London's subways

September 04, 2007

LONDON, BRITAIN — London's subway network virtually shut down at the height of the rush hour Monday evening when 2,300 maintenance workers walked off the job in what they said would be a three-day strike over pensions and security.

Transportation officials then closed nine subway lines, the bulk of the system. They said it was too dangerous to keep the network going without the workers, who are responsible for maintaining and repairing tracks, signals and trains.

Commuters left work early to make it home before 6 p.m., when the strike began.